Think of a desert, now think of a city… I can guarantee when you visualize both they look very different.  But in many regions of Pittsburgh, deserts exist. These deserts are called a food desert.  According to the USDA, a food desert is defined as a low-income area that has limited to no access to fresh produce or supermarkets within 1 mile in urban areas and 10 miles in rural areas.

A 2012 Treasury report shows that 47% of Pittsburgh residents live in Food Desert.

Green areas highlight food deserts in Allegheny County

Food Insecurity Fighters

Over the past few years, organizations have started the long tedious work of overcoming insufficient food challenges in the city of Pittsburgh.  Just Harvest,  Grow Pittsburgh, and 412 Food Rescue are just a few local organizations taking on food insecurity in Pittsburgh. These companies strive to educate how to grow your own fresh produce, provide access to fresh healthy food and support those who cannot afford food by donating and delivering to areas that are easily accessible.

Hope for the future

Pittsburgh “The Steel City” is quickly becoming the “green” city. Local gardens are popping up in abandoned lots in many areas of the city along with green spaces. Changing the way this blue collar city functions by educating with green, healthy, and sustainable methods will provide the city residents with the tools to continually evolve and survive like it always has.